Related Experiment Videos
Dose-effect relationship of carvedilol in essential hypertension. An open study
T Ogihara1, Y Goto, K Yoshinaga
1Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, Osaka University Medical School, Japan.
Insights
Carvedilol effectively lowers blood pressure in Japanese patients with essential hypertension. Doses of 10-20mg daily demonstrated significant reductions in blood pressure with minimal side effects and no significant postural changes.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Essential hypertension is a prevalent cardiovascular condition requiring effective management.
- Optimizing antihypertensive medication dosage is crucial for patient outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the optimal dose of carvedilol for efficacy and safety in Japanese patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension.
- Evaluate the dose-response relationship of carvedilol in this population.
Main Methods:
- A 12-week, open-label study involving 134 Japanese patients with essential hypertension.
- Patients initially received carvedilol 5mg once daily, with dose titration to 10mg and 20mg at 4-weekly intervals if needed.
- Blood pressure, heart rate, and side effects were monitored throughout the study.
Main Results:
- Carvedilol significantly reduced average blood pressure from 170/101 mmHg to 150/91 mmHg (p < 0.001) after 12 weeks.
- A sufficient hypotensive effect was observed in 65% of patients receiving up to 20mg daily.
- Heart rate decreased significantly (77 to 66 bpm, p < 0.001) without causing bradycardia; side effects were reported in 5.2% of patients.
Conclusions:
- Carvedilol, particularly at doses of 10-20mg once daily, is an effective and safe treatment option for Japanese patients with essential hypertension.
- The drug demonstrated good tolerability and a favorable safety profile in the studied population.
Abstract:
This study was performed to find the optimal dose of carvedilol, in terms of efficacy and safety, in Japanese patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension. 134 patients with blood pressure greater than 160/95 mm Hg after a 4-week placebo run-in period were initially given carvedilol 5mg once daily. The dose was increased to 10 and 20mg at 4-weekly intervals if the target blood pressure was not achieved. The duration of treatment was 12 weeks. After 12 weeks' administration, the average blood pressure was significantly (p less than 0.001) reduced from 170/101 to 150/91 mm Hg. The hypotensive activity of carvedilol 5mg was mild, but sufficient hypotensive effect was observed in 65% of patients receiving up to 20 mg/day. No significant postural changes in blood pressure were observed. Although heart rate was significantly decreased (77 to 66 beats/min, p less than 0.001), no patient was judged to have bradycardia. Side effects occurred in 5.2% of patients. Carvedilol 10 to 20mg once daily is considered to be an effective and safe treatment for essential hypertension.